Sunsets in Edenia
by Embittered Flower
Summary: When a Mortal Kombat tournament disrupts the peaceful realm of Edenia, the young Princess Kitana can only watch as her parents fade away and her home turns into a world of death and chaos. UPDATED WITH CHAPTER 2.
1. When Death Pays a Visit

**Disclaimer:**_Mortal Kombat _and its characters are owned by their creators and producers at Midway and New Line.

**Author's note:** It's been SEVEN YEARS since this story was last online. I published it on several fanfiction sites in 1998, but I took it down in 2000. But after reading XiahouDun84's rendition of Kitana's life in "Kitana: Redemption," my love for Mortal Kombat and its ninja princess was revived. So I decided to return to the world of MK fanfiction. Thank you, XiahouDun84! So now, in 2005, I present a fanfiction about Kitana that I started back when I was only 13 years old. I've only made a few minor adjustments, but I really haven't edited it since the day I posted it seven years ago, so please bear with my childish fancies.

* * *

**Sunsets in Edenia (formerly titled "And So It Begins")  
By Embittered Flower (formerly known as LilPrincess)**  
_Published 1998  
Taken offline 2000  
Reposted 22 October 2005  
Last edited and renamed 25 October 2005_

**Chapter One: When Death Pays a Visit**

Grasping the locked and embellished ceramic box to her chest, a young girl with dark chocolate hair cautiously laid her miniature hand on the double doors. Wearily, she looked to her left, and then to her right.

No one was there.

Princess Kitana pushed open the towering doors to her bedroom and slipped inside. Brushing aside the long skirt of her sky blue gown, she closed her doors and hurled herself onto the bed. She stretched for her nightstand, pulled out her mother's ornate skeleton key from the drawer, and unlocked the gold and white chest.

"Now," whispered the 5,000-year-old girl. She reached inside the chest and pulled out the scroll that lay within. Was this the ancient prophecy that her elders spoke of with fear? It was brown and torn along the edges, signs that the document was just about ready to fall apart. "What do you have to say?"

Kitana's parents, King Jerrod and Queen Sindel, ruled the Kingdom of Edenia for countless and prosperous millennia, but from what she had been overhearing, there would soon be a major change. The Edenian armies had just lost their tenth consecutive Mortal Kombat tournament to the evil conqueror known as Shao Kahn. And according to the traditional legends, once a realm lost ten tournaments, the new victor would gain power and control.

But Kitana couldn't comprehend what all the fuss was about. All the talk about the Conqueror taking Edenia was just nonsense. There was no way that a simple martial arts tournament could possibly decide the fate of any world, let alone hers.

Or was there?

"Don't worry, child," Kitana's parents had responded once she began to show concern. "You're still too young for all of this."

_On the contrary. If I can read_, she thought as she unraveled the scroll, _then I'm not too young at all._

BOOOOOOOM!

Kitana dropped the scroll in surprise and lunged to save the ceramic chest from falling to the ground. _Was that an explosion? _She jumped off her bed and looked around, wondering what had happened. Realizing that it had come from outside, she started toward her balcony and peered through the window.

Looking up, she saw the color of her gown in the sky, and the three glorious suns were all out. Two were overhead, while the largest of the three was about to set.

Cautiously, she opened the door and stepped out onto the balcony. She approached the railing and looked down at the world below, and there stood her father, King Jerrod, locked in a fighting stance with two of his guards behind him.

An explosion sounded again as a portal appeared, and out stepped the Conqueror himself. Kitana gasped in fear but remained silent to intently listen to the scene below.

"Greetings, your Highness," Shao Kahn bellowed.

Jerrod sneered at him, still keeping his stance. "What do you want of me this time, Kahn?" he demanded.

"Oh, you know what I came for, King Jerrod," Kahn responded. "My forces are victorious. I have defeated your Chosen Ones, and so I have won Mortal Kombat."

He came right up to Jerrod and peered down at the King of Edenia. His large figure totally shadowed the man he stood before.

"And now," Kahn continued, "Edenia is mine."

Jerrod's two guards rushed forward from behind to protect their King. "Not so long as we're around, Kahn!" one yelled.

"As you wish." Kahn raised an arm. Instantly, two blasts of energy flew out of his palm and sent the generals flying backwards. They hit the ground loudly, unconscious.

"You see, Jerrod," Kahn turned to him. "There's really no use in resisting. I could do the same to you... much worse, actually."

Jerrod stared up at the Conqueror defiantly. "You know just as well as I do that I refuse to let Edenia go without a fight, tyrant."

Kahn snickered in utter sarcasm. "Another battle? Must we end this in violence?"

"Bite your tongue, Kahn!"

The Conqueror laughed maniacally as he abruptly landed a hard punch in Jerrod's stomach. The aging king collapsed to his knees and eyed Kahn. But no sooner as Jerrod raised his head, Kahn kicked him in the face, sending him flying backwards.

Jerrod wearily rose and faced Kahn. "You will never take Edenia!" he spat. "Never!"

"Oh, never say never, Jerrod," Kahn laughed. He hid his hands behind his back, and a large spiked mallet mysteriously materialized in his hands. "Besides, I already have."

As Jerrod struggled to stand, a shadow fell over his tired, powerless body. He looked up and saw the Conqueror's figure looming over him. His eyes widened in fear as Shao Kahn revealed the mallet to him. He watched, terrified as the Conqueror raised the mallet over his head.

Kahn delivered Jerrod's death brutally, thrashing the Edenian King over and over. Finally he dropped the mallet, and began to laugh hysterically once again. "FATALITY!"

Jerrod's death replayed in Kitana's mind. She watched in horror as Shao Kahn brought the mallet down on her father's head, crushing it to pieces. She was frozen with the sickening sounds of the crushing of a skull and a gush of blood echoing in her ears. She blankly stared at her father's body, lying lifelessly in pool of his own blood.

_Father... dead?_

As soon as the child realized what had happened, her jaw dropped. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Kahn looked up in surprise, his glowing eyes red with evil as he searched the area for his unseen witness. He turned around just in time to see the horrified child running off the balcony back into the palace.

He smiled evilly. "You can run, young Princess, but you can't hide!" he yelled towards the palace. He looked down at the dead king and his guards one last time with an expression of victory and triumph.

And as he began to approach the Royal Edenian Palace to claim his prize, the largest of Edenia's three suns slipped away beneath the horizon.

**End of Chapter One**


	2. An Immodest Proposal

**Disclaimer: **_Mortal Kombat _and its characters are owned by their creators and producers at Midway and New Line.

**Author's note:** As with the case of chapter 1, it's been seven years since this story was last online. I've made some minor adjustments in formatting and word choice, but otherwise this is it in its original form. I _would_ apologize if you think the dialogue is a bit corny, but again, I was 13 years old when I wrote this… Enjoy.

* * *

**Sunsets in Edenia (formerly titled "And So It Begins")  
By Embittered Flower (formerly known as LilPrincess)**  
_Published 1998  
Taken offline 2000  
Edited and reposted 28 October 2005  
_

**Chapter Two: An Immodest Proposal **

"MOTHER!"

Kitana ran back into the palace with tears of fear welling up in her eyes. She tore through her room and into the long hallways of the palace. Several of the maids and servants looked up, puzzled at the sight of the panicked girl.

But Kitana simply ignored them and pushed them out of the way. _I have to find Mother_, she thought. _She'll know what to do._

She stormed down the staircase and into the throne room where Queen Sindel, garbed in a royal purple gown, stood waiting for her husband. "Mother!"

The young queen turned around with a bewildered expression on her face, alarmed at the sight of her usually cheerful daughter weeping uncontrollably. "Kitana?" Sindel ran to Kitana and set her hands on her daughter's shoulders. "Why are you crying, my child?"

"It's Father!" Kitana wept. "He's- he's-"

"Yes?"

"And the Conqueror! He-"

The Conqueror. Just hearing those two words together never failed to make Sindel shudder. _So, today's the day,_ she thought. _Shao Kahn has decided it's time for him to take Edenia._

Sindel wrapped her arms around her daughter tightly. "Do not worry, Kitana," she whispered soothingly. "Your father and I will make sure that Shao Kahn leaves us in our peace."

Kitana shook her head. "But that's just it!" she wailed, gasping for breath between her tears. "Father... he's... because Kahn... and the mallet..."

"Mallet?" Sindel was lost. Her daughter was not making any sense at all. "Slowly, Kitana, explain to me what you are trying to say," she suggested calmly and let go of her daughter.

Kitana stood up straight and nodded. She solemnly wiped the tears from her face and began to speak, but it was difficult for her to keep her voice steady. "Father... was in the water forest," she stammered, trying to keep from gasping and sniffling. "Then... there was this explosion. It - it was the Conqueror! He and Father got in a fight and... and..." She stopped in mid-sentence and stared at the ground as the gruesome scene began to replay itself in her mind once again. The scared princess shut her eyes, but it didn't help to block the memory.

"And what?" Sindel asked hurriedly, her tone impatient with dread. "Kitana, what happened to your father?"

The tears began to well up in the princess' eyes again. She couldn't hold back any longer. Kitana burst into a loud river of tears. "Kahn took out a mallet and it was long and wooden with spikes and he hit Father with it and he beat him to death and now Father's dead! He's dead! Father's dead!"

_Jerrod - dead?_

The blow of Kitana's words sent a wave of nausea sweeping over Sindel. She walked to her throne and placed her hand on it, trying to keep her balance. She could not believe her ears. She didn't want to. With Jerrod dead, the realm of Edenia had lost a king, but Sindel lost much more: her protector... her lover...

Her best friend.

Though Sindel didn't realize it, Kitana continued to ramble on. "...And then the blood... and his scream! His scream! And then I looked down at Father... I couldn't recognize him! I didn't want to recognize him!" The little girl began to weep again.

The room was dead silent except for the gasps and whimpers of Princess Kitana.

_What will happen now?_ Sindel thought. The newly widowed queen couldn't cry; Jerrod's death was too painful to cry about. Drawing a deep breath, she looked over at her daughter. Kitana was just a child, a mere girl, and already she had witnessed the gruesome death of her beloved father. The princess cowered on the floor before the thrones with her head buried in her hands, shaking as she wept.

"Kitana," Sindel began, her voice trembling as she spoke. "Are you absolutely positive that your father is dead?"

Kitana looked up at her mother and opened her mouth to respond, but no sound came out. All she could do was nod.

Sindel walked over to Kitana, hugged her, and kissed her forehead. With a deep breath, she stood up boldly and started toward the large doorway.

"Mother!" Kitana ran to Sindel and fell at her feet, tugging at her mother's gown. "Mother, please, don't leave me!"

"Of course not, my child. I would never leave you." Sindel knelt down and enveloped her daughter in a tight embrace. "But I do want you stay here where it's safe."

"Why? Where are you heading?"

"To the water forest," Sindel answered as she stood and turned for the doorway. "I want to see your father. There might be a chance that we can still save him."

"Mother," Kitana sniffled. "He's dead! Kahn crushed his skull! We can't change that."

Sindel lowered her head in sorrow. "I know," she whispered. "But I must see him."

"Then I'll go with you," Kitana insisted. Wiping away her tears, she stood up bravely. "When you see him dead, you'll break down, Mother. I know it."

Sindel held up her hand. "No, Kitana. You must remain here where you'll be safe," she ordered. "I can't let the only loved one I have left walk into danger. After all, you are the heiress to the throne. If anything happens to me out there, at least you'll be able to take over."

"Take over?" Kitana was alarmed. She did not want to become queen. How could a mere child like herself ever rule a realm and defend it from invaders? But seeing that she couldn't argue with her mother, Kitana nodded in agreement. Sindel turned around and started to walk out of the throne room to find the body of her husband.

"AAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

The shrill scream caused Sindel to nearly jump out of her skin. The young queen spun around, sending her long black hair cascading in a circle. "Kitana, what's-"

But Kitana was no longer alone. Shao Kahn was there with them with his hands around Kitana's throat. Kitana tried to scream again but could only cough in his grasp.

Kahn looked up from Kitana's throat and grinned maliciously. "Good day, my Queen."

Sindel shot up and reacted quickly. "GUARDS!"

Suddenly, three soldiers ran into the throne room and began to attack the Conqueror, but he lifted one hand from Kitana's throat and released a fireball that hit all three of them. Kahn then raised his hand to the throne room's doorway, and instantly the doors slammed with a loud thud.

"Let me go!" Kitana rasped. She squirmed to break away from Shao Kahn, but the more she struggled, the tighter he gripped her. The child began to cough and gasp for air.

"You wouldn't dare kill a little girl!" Sindel spat.

Kahn smiled at her evilly. "You know I would." His grip on Kitana's throat tightened, and she violently gasped for breath.

Sindel was horrified. She and Jerrod had been raising Kitana to be a warrior like themselves. She excelled vastly in martial arts and was incredibly outstanding for a child of her age. But Kitana obviously couldn't fight back if she couldn't breathe, and now that Jerrod was dead she would never be able to handle losing her only child as well. "I demand you to let go of my daughter, Kahn, or else I'll-"

"You'll what?" Kahn asked her, looking very amused. He enjoyed tormenting the innocent, and the fact that the victims were part of the Edenian dynasty made the whole thing even more entertaining. "I'm not afraid of you, Sindel, if that's what you're thinking."

Sindel gulped. She knew that Kahn didn't fear her. In fact it was the other way around; she was the one who was afraid of him. _Think!_ Sindel told herself. _I've got to save Kitana!_

Kahn snickered. "Well, if you're just going to stand there dull-wittily, watch me murder your precious little girl!" He tightened his hands around Kitana's neck, but an idea stopped him.

He looked up at the young queen. _Mortified, but still beautiful... All the right curves in the all the right places,_ Kahn thought lustfully as he surveyed her figure.

He cleared his throat. "Actually, Sindel," Kahn began calmly, "there is something you could do for me if you want your child to be spared."

"And that is?"

"Marry me," Kahn answered with a glint of glowing desire in his evil red eyes. "Become my Queen, the girl lives, and we rule Edenia together."

"I'm a married woman, Kahn," Sindel snapped. "And I don't intend on deserting my husband."

"Correction," Kahn smiled evilly. "You were a married woman. Face it: King Jerrod of Edenia is no more. And if you don't make a decision soon, Princess Kitana will be next."

Kitana's eyes grew larger. _If Mother agrees,_ she thought, _I live. But she can't betray Father's memory! And if she does decide to stay loyal, I won't live to see another sunrise..._ Kitana gulped in fear of what her mother would choose, but pushed the fear away.

_I must be brave,_ she told herself. _Like Father. I cannot allow Mother to betray him, even if it means my death._

The princess looked at her mother and shook her head aggressively, urging her to decline. "You can't betray Father!" she rasped.

Sindel stood paralyzed in place as she reviewed her options. _If I agree, Kitana will live, but I can't betray Jerrod. I just can't, even if he is dead!_ Sindel told herself.

She looked up at Kitana, who was still shaking her head. _Look at her,_ she thought. _Such a brave child. But I can't let Kahn kill her! She's my daughter, the only one I have left, the heiress to the throne, the—_

"Well?"

"I'm thinking!"

"You've thought long enough!" Kahn snapped. "What will it be, Sindel: me, or the death of your only child?"

Sindel looked at Kitana, who still was as scared as ever, then looked back up at Kahn.

"Well, Sindel?" Kahn replied. "I'm waiting."

"I... I..." Sindel was struggling with her words. She glanced at the two figures standing before her. There was her daughter in Kahn's grip, just a young child scared for her life. Then there was Kahn, the large figure with his hands wrapped around Kitana's neck, threatening to kill the one person she had left. She reviewed her options quickly in her mind once more and sighed uncomfortably.

"Yes?" Shao Kahn boomed.

"I'm so sorry, Jerrod. I love only you... I always will..." Sindel whispered with her eyes shut.

Abruptly, she opened them and faced the Conqueror. "I shall be your Queen," she finally answered, lowering her head to the ground in shame.

"NO!" Kitana yelled aloud. She squirmed in Kahn's grasp, trying to break free. "You can't!"

"Excellent choice!" Kahn praised. Sindel collapsed to the ground in tears, and Kahn let Kitana break away from his grip and run to her mother.

"Mother," she began, planting her hands firmly on Sindel's shoulders and boring into her soul with her frantic eyes. "You cannot do this!"

Kahn snickered. "She already has, daughter."

Kitana shot up at the Conqueror's words. "Don't you ever call me that, Kahn!"

Kahn, pretending to be hurt, looked at her in disbelief and shock. "Is that any way to speak to your father?" he asked her sarcastically.

"You are not my father - you're a monster!" Kitana snapped.

She turned around and knelt down before her mother, who was still weeping on the floor. "Mother, I -"

"Kitana, I'm sorry!" Sindel burst out. She gazed into her daughter's eyes, pleading for forgiveness. "I loved your father so much... I still do! And I knew that you wanted me to stay loyal to him! But I couldn't let you die, I just couldn't! You're too young, and you've such a bright future ahead of you!"

"Not if he's the new ruler of Edenia," Kitana muttered, pointing to Shao Kahn.

"Too bad, Kitana," the Conqueror said with a smile. "I am, as always, victorious. Now, child, if you excuse us, we have a wedding to plan. Come, my love." He pushed open the large and heavy doors of the throne room, walked out, and motioned for Sindel to follow.

Sindel was disgusted. She couldn't stand the fact that she was a widow and the "love" her husband's worst enemy. She broke into tears again.

Kitana wrapped her arms around her mother and hugged her tightly. She felt just as bad and disgusted as Sindel was, but she put on the mask of optimism. "It's all right, Mother," she told Sindel. "He's gone now."

However, despite her daughter's loving words, Sindel shook her head. "I'm sorry, Kitana. I did it to save you..." Unable to find the words to continue, she kissed her daughter's cheek, slowly stood up, and headed out of the throne room.

"Sindel!" Kahn's voice bellowed from the hall.

Hesitantly, Queen Sindel looked back at Kitana before following Kahn.

Kitana watched her mother leave the room. She walked over to her mother's throne and sat down; she needed to think. _My father's dead, my mother's marrying a monster, and I get to be his stepdaughter. _

She slumped down in her luxurious chair. _None of this would have happened if someone saved Father, but the guards failed, and no one was there to save..._

Instantly, Kitana shot straight up in the throne. _But someone _was_ there!_ she told herself. _Me! I had the chance to save Father but..._

Kitana remembered the words her mother had spoken to her earlier: _"I'm sorry, Kitana. I did it to save you..." _

"So I was saved," Kitana said aloud in the silence of the room. A tear rolled down the princess' cheek as she realized the awful truth. "But I didn't deserve to be. I didn't even try to save Father..."

**End of Chapter 2 **


End file.
